Ex-Yamaha MotoGP rider makes MotoAmerica switch with Ducati
A former Yamaha MotoGP rider will race in America in 2026 with Ducati
Former RNF Yamaha MotoGP rider Darryn Binder will leave the grand prix paddock next year to take up a ride in the MotoAmerica Supersport class on Ducati machinery.
A veteran of 11 seasons in the grand prix paddock, the younger brother of multiple MotoGP race winner Brad Binder has had a very mixed career to date.
Scoring no points in his debut Moto3 campaign in 2015, Darryn Binder wouldn’t win a race in the lightweight class until 2020.
He scored two podiums in 2021, before becoming a surprise MotoGP signing for the now-defunct RNF Racing Yamaha team, with Binder becoming the first rider since Jack Miller in 2015 to go directly from Moto3 to the premier class.
Binder only managed three points finishes in his rookie 2022 MotoGP campaign, with a best of 10th in a wet Indonesian Grand Prix.
After RNF severed ties with Yamaha to partner with Aprilia for 2023, Binder was left without a ride on the MotoGP grid and stepped down to Moto2.
He failed to impress in three seasons in the class, scoring a best of fifth in Indonesia last year. He scored just 19 points in 2025.
Losing out on a place on the Moto2 grid for 2026, the 27-year-old will join the Warhorse Ducati team in the MotoAmerica Supersport series.
“I am very excited to start this new chapter with Celtic Racing, Economy Lube + Tire, and Warhorse HSBK Ducati,” Binder said.
“My journey through Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP has taught me a lot, and I feel ready to bring all that experience into MotoAmerica.
“The Panigale V2 is a bike with proven speed and championship history, and I cannot wait to get to work with the team.
“The goal is simple. I want to race at the front, enjoy the battle, and build something strong for the future.
“I am grateful for the opportunity and for the confidence the team has shown in me, and I am fully motivated to make the most of this season.”
The Warhorse team is no stranger to fielding former grand prix talent, with double MotoGP race winner Danilo Petrucci riding for the squad in the Superbike class in 2022.
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